Hello, M'gann!
by hexenprinzessin
Summary: She has lived 48 years on Mars, but now that she arrived on Earth, she has finally found a home. And she is determined to keep it safe. Non-action follow-up to Young Justice episodes, from M'gann's point of view.
1. Chapter 1 - Cookies

**Set around / after S1 Ep5 "Schooled"**

She had failed so many times, it would not happen again. She moved swiftly, focused and with the power of her mind she grabbed the baking sheet from the oven and watched it critically as it floated through the air and onto the kitchen counter. They looked… good, she determined. She also quite liked the smell, now that it was devoid of smoke. Curiously she let her mind lift one of the small, brownish things and let it fly to her, feeling the heat still radiating from it. She hesitated for a moment, but then took a small bite. The texture was interesting, somewhat soft but with a crunchy edge and the taste… she had no idea how they were supposed to taste if she was honest. She had still not really acquired the kinds of instinct for recognising earth-food flavours she would need to pass as a human girl.

But who could she ask? While Red Tornado was in charge of supervising the team and the cave that doubled as their base and her home, he was a robot, therefore even less qualified with regards to culinary judgements than she was, and the other members of the team had already left for their respective homes. Well, all of them except for… "Superboy?" she called out, carefully making sure she wouldn't inadvertently use her telepathy alongside her voice to connect with her teammate. She did not want to scare him away or make him angry again.

"Do you want a cookie?"

* * *

It turned out that Superboy was not the best candidate for a cookie tasting either. He was born on Earth and was not a mechanical being, but his birth, or rather his creation, had only happened four months before he had been rescued by a group of young heroes that had lead to the formation of their team and their new living arrangements. And although his creators had given him access to a surprising amount of information in that short timespan, in order to make him a functional weapon for their dubious cause, his knowledge was not equivalent to actual experience and also, which might be the bigger issue in this case, he did not really care for it.

It was not her baking or anything about food in particular, she tried to remind herself, but the fact that he was, understandably, still in pain about everything that had happened to him. Or not happened to him, like a childhood, like having a family, being loved.

She could see that pain when she was looking at him. She could _feel_ his anger like a cloud surrounding him many times although she was careful not to tell him both of these things, since he tended to react with resentment to any personal topic, and she… she understood. And the others had told her not to take it to heart. But it did not change the fact, that the one living being she shared her new home with tended to react to company and conversation like she did to fire.

And it did not change the fact, that she cared for Superboy, who had stood there alone in his black shirt when she first met the team, who had to be called by Robin to even come and meet her. She had wanted to make him feel more at ease from the first minute they met, when she had changed her appearance to match his better – a small gesture of gentleness in a society of shapeshifters, but one she assumed would be understood here as well – and she still wanted it now she had gotten to know him a little better and had found that hidden kindness in his voice and gestures when the pain and anger subsided.

But she also had a lot to learn. Living on Earth was a lot more complicated than the TV shows her uncle had brought for her to see back on Mars suggested. You could not learn how things felt or tasted from watching it on a screen. You could not really grasp how people interacted all day, every day without telepathic communication, trapped in one simple shape, from the condensed glimpse that a 20 minute episode of a show gave towards life. You could not learn how to fight bad guys, become a hero, and part of a superhero team, not even from her favorite show. But she would manage. She had her team. And although it had felt as if she had messed up already after just meeting them – she could remember how they had looked at her after the Mr. Twister debacle – they had fought together since then, they trained and learned and it got better every day.

And although he really did not care for cookies, Superboy had at least come into the kitchen and taken one from counter – it did not matter for him that they were still burning hot – and shoved it wordlessly into his mouth before he went back to whatever he was doing.

She let the sheet stay on the counter to cool off while she was looking for a can to store them in. The others would come back for training tomorrow and they could eat the rest.

„Hello, Megan!" she said grinning and slapping herself lightly on the forehead as she had nearly reached the door to her room and went back to take some cookies with her. Time to learn more about Earth-things. That included Earth-sweets.


	2. Chapter 2 - Training

**Set after S1 Ep8 "Downtime"**

She felt the grip on her hand and realized too late she had gotten herself into trouble as the force of her opponent propelled her trough the air and she landed hard on the floor. The computer noted her failure in its precise and merciless fashion.

„You're getting better M'gann." Black Canary's voice was friendly and it did lessen the initial hurt and embarrassment from having lost the match again. Well - Black Canary was their instructor, and it was not as if the other team members did not meet the floor when sparring against her as well. But still, she would have liked to excel in view of the other, more trained or more physically capable fighters.

Well, it wouldn't do just to wish for it, so she got up for another round.

* * *

She had to pull herself up for three more times before she felt it was enough, and seeing her newest team member waiting near the training area also let her forget the aching that came with physical training.

„So… do you have any plans for tonight?" M'gann looked at the blonde archer next to her with a bright smile that was answered a little more subdued.

„Uhm.. I guess I am going to hit some targets later, before going home, though maybe I stay a little to enjoy the view…"

Artemis gave a grinning side look towards the training area where Superboy was sparring with Robin and Kid Flash. M'gann could not help herself from following her gaze and also feeling a pang of… irritation. Or maybe a little bit of jealousy.

She liked the newest member of her team, although she still had problems to react to her very direct and sometimes confrontational manner. But it had not taken long for her to see that Artemis was no different to her in some other aspects and that she craved for the acceptance of the others and to prove her place on the team as much as she did. And while the others had been very nice when they had first met, even if their first impromptu mission had had its setbacks, Artemis had been met with rejection by Wally and Red Arrow who was not even a member of the team but still angry to see another archer with them. She felt the urge to defend the other girl, even if she made it quite clear that she could fight her own battles. But they where a team, right? And she had wanted to have a sister here on Earth. Only dealing with the boys had proven a little difficult, so she felt the addition to the team already to be something positive.

Wally, Robin and Kaldur had build this team around themselves when they had gone against the Leagues commands to rescue Superboy from Cadmus and it was not that easy to fit into their group of established superhero sidekicks. Superboy managed to be a group for himself at most times though she had the feeling that he thawed a little in their interactions, being a little less occupied in his own thoughts and anger. Training with Black Canary helped, though that had taken its time as well.

Artemis on the other hand was not just the only other girl on the team but also the only other newby.

„Well, I meant.. We had a beach party when you joined, remember? And we have camped a night on the mountain before, I thought maybe we could do something nice. To celebrate you being on the team and all."

Artemis lifted her eyes from the training area to look at her „sounds good, but I am afraid I won't be able to stay the night or something. School is going to start soon and I'm transferring to… well, I will have to catch up upon a lot of schoolwork as well as training if I want to keep my grades up."

„Oh, jeah… Of course." M'gann kept her smile, though with a little effort „I guess I should use the time for training as well."

„You want a sparring partner?"

„Yes! That sounds great."

* * *

„Ehm.. Black Canary?Could I.. ehm.. Do you have a moment?"

M'gann hurried to intercept her training instructor on her way to the zeta tube.

„Of course, M'gann, what's the matter?", the blond woman smiled and stopped. She had this confident air as if nothing was bothering her at all and a way to look at you that always seemed to imply she knew exactly what was going on with you. M'gann liked her a lot, not only because the training routine with her was helpful for the team, but also because physical training seemed to make it easier to focus for some of them.

„I was just thinking… I mean, I thought about one of our missions. When we protected Dr. Roquette."

„What about it?"

„It was at Happy Harbour High School."

„Yes?", the blonde woman smiled and M'gann realized she should get to her point.

„Well.. I thought we should go there again. I mean, not on a mission. Just… to school?"

„I thought Captain Atom was giving you guys classes on tactics?"

„He does! And thats important and everything, but I thought, well.." she tried to get her thoughts in order. She knew why she attempted this topic with Canary and not with any of the others. Her uncle might have been on her side with this, but he was Martian and might not understand her desire for human experiences as well as she'd like him to, Red Tornado was, again, a robot, though one that tried to understand humans but he was still not on the emotional side and Batman might be a human but he was… somewhat intimidating. Canary was her best option.

„I just thought, I mean, I watched a lot of Earth-TV and going to school seems… fun? Superboy and I hardly leave the cave for anything but missions. I know he knows basically everything there is to know about Earth from the G-Gnomes, and I can study here, but… I want to…"

„You want to have a life outside the team, like the others have?" Black Canary _had_ been the best choice. M'gann felt herself light up with joy.

„Yes! I'm sure I can learn a lot about Earth culture." she practically beamed. And Superboy could have an identity that was more than just being the clone of another hero. Plus basically every TV show ever about young humans had shown her that school was where all the interesting things happened.

„I'll have to talk to the others about this. We'd have to provide you with some paperwork. And the school year has not even started yet. But I'm sure we can figure something out."

„Uh, Thank you!"

„No need to thank me yet, okay? But I think that is a good idea, M'gann."

She basically floated back to the living area of the cave. Summer had been interesting and challenging. She knew that she had a lot to learn with regards to being a hero. But her dream had been to live on Earth like a real human girl, like… Megan. To belong here.

She let the door of her room fall shut and threw herself on her bed, activating the screen of her TV. Time to figure out what to do and what to wear on her first day of school.


	3. Chapter 3 - Home

**Set after "bereft"**

She felt lightheaded on the whole trip back to the cave and she could see the disorientation and headache in the faces of her teammates. The bioship knew the way home and the well known presence in her mind helped her to keep her focus on piloting.

There were still little moments when her mind drifted off and she, for the time of a heartbeat or less, was not quite sure who the others were when she looked at them. There was still the same wonder when she looked at the ocean that spread beneath them as she had felt it when she had seen it for the first time, when she had arrived on earth, only months ago. The same kind of wonder that had briefly absorbed her when she stood in the unknown desert and saw the stars above her, familiar, but still a little… off. Only one moon of a different size. One of the bright lights in the sky was her homeworld.

She could not refrain from smiling whenever that moment of realisation dawned again. She was on Earth. The dream she had kept in her heart for such a long time, since she first heard of her uncle's adventures on the sister-planet, had finally come true. And while in the last weeks she had lived here and she had become accustomed with her new life it felt new and exciting again when she looked at herself and her team with the eyes of her 6 month younger self.

Her smile deepened when it encompassed Superboy. While the experience in the Bialyan desert had not been pleasant for any of them - not even for her despite the rush she felt for rediscovering her life and everything that had changed for the better in such a short time - he had been reduced to a feral state, a being without any memories, captured and experimented on. But he had broken free. He had found himself again, and even more than that, he had helped her do the same.

She could still feel his hand in hers, could still hear his words in her head, smiling: _"kick his butt."_ Superboy was the one who did not doubt that she could overcome the other telepath, and he had been right. She had found her own memories, she found those of her friends, managed to bring them together and to find Superboy before they could take him away. She could still feel this moment of confidence and unity when she had opened her own memories for him, so that he could find himself in them and regain his own mind. He had not flinched or receded as he had done when she had first tried to speak to him in his mind, weeks ago, but he had trusted her and allowed her to be there for him.

They even fulfilled the primary goal of their mission and retrieved the alien technology that had been found in the desert. Or rather, it had come with them since the mysterious Sphere seemed to be more alive than made. And it had not left the side of the Kryptonian clone either as if it wanted to make sure that he was okay as much as she did.

"How is Kaldur?" she could see Robin coming from the cargo bay behind her.

"A bit dizzy still, but getting better" he answered with tired eyes.

"We'll be home soon." she assured them with the little smile she still felt in her whole exhausted being.

Home. With her friends. Her team.

Psimon might have tried to rob them from her, but she had found them again, and she was not willing to let them be taken from her ever again.


	4. Chapter 4 - School

**Set after S1 Ep10 "Targets"**

* * *

"Did your first day at school pass to your satisfaction?" Kaldur greeted her with friendly concern when she went to the training area, where most of the others where already gathering for their physical class. M'gann smiled brightly in his direction, she knew that he was wary that their short trip to Atlantis had taken too much of their time they might have wanted or needed for preparation. But she did not feel this concern necessary, not only because the city under the sea had been exciting and interesting, and Kaldur had needed his friends at his side and she had been happy to be there with him, but also because she had been preparing for Earth-High School basically her entire life.

"It was great!" she beamed "the other kids were so nice, well, most of the time, and we had classes and everything and they asked me to try out for.."

"You know, M'gann, you are not supposed to like school when you are a teenager, right?" Wally barged in with a grin on his face.

"What?" M'gann looked a little confused. But school was important? She had met all these new and interesting people and she had wanted to go since forever. Had she done it wrong?

"Don't listen to the idiot." Robin planted himself next to Wally shaking his head "not everybody is a bored genius who cannot sit still for his life. I kinda like school, too."

"You do?" Wally asked with a suspicious look on his face.

"Well, they asked me…" M'gann felt the excitement again as she prepared to tell her teammates more about this great day, but something else caught her attention again, or rather someone else.

"Hey Conner." She greeted the Kryptonian with a smile and tucked a streak of hair behind her ear. He looked as grumpy as ever, even with Sphere rolling beside him. The living machine had greeted them when they had returned to the cave and seemed a little disappointed that they had left it alone for the day.

"Conner?" Wally looked up as well.

"It is the name that Superboy chose to take for his secret identity." Kaldur explained with a hint of a smile. Maybe he felt like M'gann did, that it would be good for the clone to find a life besides the team's missions and training, like he had in Atlantis.

"Conner Kent." M'gann nodded "Isn't it a great name? Mine's Megan Morse, what do you think?"

"Well… it's alright, I guess" Wally shrugged then looked at her "I like yours better."

Robin sighed "can you ever… " But Black Canary and Artemis chose this moment to enter the room as well, and so they got ready for their training.

* * *

"M'gann!" Artemis smiled and leaned next to her when they finished the first workout "you look awfully happy today – so, how was it?"

"It was perfect. They asked me to audition for the cheerleading squad and I went and I made the team!" her voice was pitched high now that she finally had the chance to tell someone.

Artemis looked at her, a little surprised "Cheerleading, really?"

"I wanted to be a Cheerleader ever since I saw… well, it looked like a lot of fun. And the uniform is cute, too!" She changed her appearance to show the yellow-and-black uniform of the Bumblebees.

Artemis look was still a little sceptical.

"Wow, Cheerleader-M'gann!" She heard Wally's voice from the other end of the training room and could see the blonde archer next to her rolling her eyes, hard.

"You didn't tell us!", the speedster looked at Superboy with an accusatory glance, then grinned "I _so_ have to go to one of your team's matches."

"Well it's… cute." Artemis acknowledged "I mean, if you like this kind of stuff, which is.. ok, I guess." she smiled towards her teammate "glad you already found yourself a hobby and everything. New school is not something I'm looking forward to…"

She lost herself for a moment in a trail of thoughts, her eyes wandering through the room where Kaldur and Superboy were starting the second round of training.

"How about… Conner? Did he join the sports-team or something? Because I might just want to accompany Wally to one of these games some day… "

"Oh. no… he was…" She hesitated.

"He didn't go full Superboy on them, did he?" Artemis asked with a slightly worried tone.

"No, nothing like that, he'll need some time to adjust, I'm sure he will like it eventually." She smiled again. The other pupils at Happy Harbor had been nice. Especially Wendy who had come up to her and encouraged her to join the Bumblebees. And Conner… he had seemed interested in the classes, although his knowledge from the G-Gnomes was extensive and most likely exceeded that of the others students, he had asked questions, had wanted to understand more than just the facts. For her all these names of Earth-places and dates had been much more puzzling, since her knowledge of Earth-culture was rather more specific and she tended to get confused with the details of human politics, apart from those that had come up in earlier missions. But everything else had been more than perfect.

Lost in her own thoughts she didn't realize that the others had already taken up with training again.

 _"_ _Is that your boyfriend? ´Cause – he's hot, but kind of a freak."_

Well he wasn't her boyfriend, not really, was he? He had waited for her when she had her audition instead of going back to the cave after school. And he had _cared_ , when he thought the other girls were mean to her. He had carried her books.

The girls were wrong of course, not only with him being her boyfriend – she would certainly like him to be, but it wasn't that – Superboy.. Conner, he wasn't a freak. He was a bit ill-adjusted to the world him around because of his previous experiences, like she – the outsider, the alien – was, only that she hid it better. But he was caring, and interested, and… nice if you could find a way to see past the anger.

"M'gann, would you care to join us again?" It was Black Canary's voice that reminded her of the time and place she was in.

"Sorry, I'm here" She pushed herself away from the wall she had been leaning against and joined the others.

"Want to cheer us on?" She looked puzzled towards Robin's grin, before she laughed heartily.

"Hello, Megan!" she slapped herself slightly on the head while she changed her clothes back to her hero's uniform. It was _this_ team now.


	5. Chapter 5 - Boyfriend

**This one got a little longer than my other chapters, but there was so much material to work with from their first kiss, to them building their relationship in secret and I loved spending a little more time with them. If you liked it as well let me know, if not, I am interested to hear your opinion as well. Have fun with it!**

 **Set after S1 Ep11 "Terrors"**

* * *

She hurried out of the bioship as soon as they entered the cave's hangar. It felt good to be home again. It felt good to be _herself_ again.

"Welcome back, team" Black Canary waited for them in mission control. Conner murmured something nobody could really understand, while he rushed past her and was welcomed with a warm beeping by Sphere.

It was late in the day so no one else was there except for Kaldur who had accompanied them from Belle Reve while Red Tornado had stayed behind together with other members of the League to ensure that order was reinstalled after the large scale prison escape attempt they had been sent to investigate.

While M'gann liked the blonde vigilante who oversaw their training, and she enjoyed having the team around her most of the time, she now hoped everyone would leave as soon as possible. With little more than a tired smile she tried to walk past the other woman, but it did not work that easily.

"M'gann?" With a small sigh the Martian paused and turned back. She tried to give Kaldur a look, hoping he might rescue her from questioning, but the team leader already followed Conner to the other side of the room, presumably with a similar goal as Black Canary.

„Is there anything?" M'gann tried to sound friendly but felt a strain in her voice.

„I just wanted to check how you are doing." Canary's eyes were apprehensive, watching for signs of… what?

„We reported to Red Tornado and Batman, when the League arrived at Belle Reve."

„I know. But that was focused on the escape plan, not…"

M'gann could feel her patience run out.

„There is nothing more to tell than that." she snapped, and immediately regretted it. She was just… she wanted to have some time to think.

„M'gann. You spend days alone in a maximum security prison for super-powered adults. That is not a standard mission." She could see or rather feel a certain anger radiate from Black Canary that was not directed at her. The instructor was worried about this mission, she most likely had not approved of her and Conner being sent in for the investigation.

„I was not alone." M'gann countered „Conner was with me."

„Yes, of course." Black Canary still looked critical. M'gann closed her eyes for a moment. The part of her mind that was still linked with Conner, as she had been for the whole time they were in prison - the small, reassuring reminder that someone was with her, the link through which she had heard his voice when she was unconscious, frozen, which had brought her back to her senses - registered that her teammate was leaving the room, obviously more successful in evading Kaldur's concern than she was with Black Canary's.

„I… I want to talk to you, but can we do that tomorrow?" she asked with a pleading half-smile „It's late and I still have to do some school work."

„School?" The blonde superhero sounded a little surprised, then she nodded.

„It's okay, M'gann, take your time. I'll be here tomorrow then."

M'ganns smile grew wider and more genuine.

„Thank you!" She meant it. Then she made her way through the room, to the same direction she could feel Conners presence.

* * *

He had fled to the library, though it did not seem like he actually planned to study. He was standing there, half in the shadow, and it felt like he had waited for her as she had looked for him. His eyes met hers as soon as the door closed behind her.

"Conner." She said his name with a soft, cautious air. Felt it more than she heard it.

Without thinking she took the few steps that separated them, but could not find the courage to lift her hands and touch him, now that they were so close. He said nothing, but she could still feel the connection through their mind-link, felt his presence, his mind still agitated, though it found a semblance of calm, a resolve that seemed to anchor him. She could feel herself welcome, but neither of them found the words they were looking for.

It had been easier before. Fear had given them all the courage they needed.

"When you…" she faltered, but tried again "what you did, when you.. found me… did you mean it?" She whispered, afraid to hear nothing more than a grunt, see him flinch or shake his head. Anything that would make them step away from each other.

"Don't you know?" His voice was quiet, unusually gentle. And she could see him reach for her, his arm carefully pulling her a little closer, his mind at the same time. And she felt all the memories of the day again, like a stream. Her helpless fear, trying to protect a prison guard from Killer Frost and her cronies, her cover being blown, the icy coldness that inclosed her whole body, made her go numb, her mind black, alone, still reaching out for her friend, too far away.

His voice in her head that woke her. Not only words, but pain, as well as determination - _don't leave me, M'gann!_

He was there. He was calling for her. He needed her.

She remembered the kiss, the warmth of his body, the joy and relief to have found each other despite the chaos around them. Her reaching out for the teammates that followed in the bioship, but still holding him close, not letting go of the connection in their minds that had saved her.

When he reached out and kissed her again, now here in the dark and quiet library, she could still taste the raw fear on his lips that had pushed him towards her, she could hear his resolution, him fighting and tricking his way to her, not allowing himself to hesitate, to think of her as gone, not before he had a chance to tell her, that he had understood. What she meant to him. That he wanted her with him.

But the fear melted like the ice that had encompassed her, when they held each other, both feeling the certainty and security that the other's presence gave them.

Yes, she knew. She could feel his warm sincerity in his tight embrace, as if to never let her go again.

* * *

They spent the night cuddled together on her bed, both of them reluctant to let go. Both of them needing the comfort and the confirmation of the other's presence. Both of them happy to be home.

* * *

It felt good to have the sun and wind on her skin when they went home after school the next day. They did not even spend much time in prison but being outside still felt like a relief after that. She did not stop to wonder about the fact that this felt right, the warm sun, the smell and sound of the ocean next to Mount Justice, and not alien to her although she had lived in the caves of Mars for the longest time.

She could see Conner slowing down before they came close to the base, and so she stood next to him.

 _"_ _What is it?"_ she asked through the mind link they had formed as a habit by now. Since their first day of school they had talked like this to help each other through the unknown situation. Now they had gently kept in touch without many formed words, just reminding each other of their presence throughout the day. Both of them had been content to bask in this joyful feeling. Words were a very human thing, as a Martian it felt more natural this way.

But some things needed words.

He hesitated. Thinking about something she could not quite make out and did not want to intrude upon, so she used her voice instead of her thoughts.

"Do we tell the others?", she asked with a quiet tone and it felt like she found the right question. They had avoided talking to anyone the day before, but they could not keep to themselves forever.

"Would you mind if we did not?" he asked, carefully.

She looked at him, a little unsure how to answer and he went on. "It's just… this is the first thing that I have in my life that is just… mine, you know? This" he moved his hand between them as to signify their connection "has nothing to do with Superman, or the team. This is just me as… Conner. And I would like to get to know this part of me. This… _us_. It is…"

He struggled for a moment but she said nothing, letting him go on after a while.

"Everything that is to know about me you can read in the team's mission files. I just want to have something that is more than that."

M'gann felt a little smile. She could understand that, better than he might have thought.

"You are more than all that, you know that, right?" she asked, softly. He had never been an experiment, a clone, or a weapon to her. But she could understand that it took time for him to see himself like that, especially with his mentor-figure being so absent in his life. She knew the feeling of being worthless, feeling less than others. It had prompted her to run away from home and come to Earth where blending in was so much easier, where no one could see that true self she wanted to get away from. Where she had found a home, a team that took her in, where she had found him.

He nodded, silently.

"So… you don't mind?" He looked into her eyes, as if to make sure he did not hurt her with this request, but she just smiled.

"I don't. I mean… to be honest I'm not quite sure how the others would react and I would not want them to think we are compromised on missions or anything."

She could see her smile now mirrored on his face.

"Well.. I am certainly a little compromised right now…", his smile turned into a charming grin as his hand grabbed her hips to pull her a little closer and her lips found his.

Oh, she could get used to this, so much.


	6. Chapter 6 - Betrayal

**set after S1 Ep13 "Alpha Male"**

* * *

She smell of smoke lingered in the air when she walked through the halls of her home. It reminded her of weakness and helplessness, and she felt herself trembling from the memory it brought.

 _She had been with Conner and Wally when Kaldur had wanted to talk to them. He seemed preoccupied with something, but she assumed nothing but the concerns of leadership, and happily answered his questions about their school-workload, still happy for every opportunity to talk about this exciting Earth-life she was living.  
The attack had come from nothing. One second she talked about her cheerleading and how it would not impact her performance on the team, the other she was knocked over by an explosion and swept away by a giant wave when she just regathered her senses.  
They had tried to fight back, she had formed a link to help them regroup, but everything had happened way too fast, and they had not been prepared. At all._

* * *

It had always felt a little weird to live with a robot. A mind that she could not feel nor read, a being with a metal body without the need for food, or rest, or anything else. A being that knew of justice, but that could not feel compassion. Even Sphere felt more alive to her than Red Tornado, and she had been startled every now and then, when he walked or flew into a room without her sensing his presence as she could with every other member of the team or the League.

She had not spend much time thinking about their den mother at all in the last weeks to be honest. He had always been… _there_. The voice that greeted them when they returned from school or from missions, he would ask them a few questions and then let them go on with their lives.

But now she realised she had grown to like having him around. His calm demeanour never tasted of fear nor anger, not even tiredness, irritation, or annoyance. And although she had sometimes asked herself what a creature like him would gain from taking care of a bunch of teenagers, and she knew that without a civilian live or secret identity he had simply been the easiest choice for their overseer, he had seemed in an odd way content with his position. And she had not felt like a burden to him.

He had meant freedom for Conner and her, never minding their living their lives in the cave the way they chose. And while at times she had thought he was simply unable to actually care for his charges, it now felt to her that he had simply trusted in their capabilities, maybe even more than she could do herself.

It felt weird now, living without a calmness and quiet had vanished with him.

And she could not think or believe that he had betrayed them, although it seemed so obvious. She just couldn't.

* * *

 _Fire engulfed her. The heat had robbed her of all her strength. She could feel someone holding her, heard voices, Conner, Kaldur, Wally… but the heat did not die away and she couldn't move, couldn't think. She withered away and could not even keep the mind link open, felt only her own panik flowing. Tried to keep awake, but failed again and again._

She awoke in the middle of the night, breathing heavily. Under the blankets her body felt hot again, drenched in sweat and for a few long moments she struggled to even get up.

She fled the cave, found a moment of solace at the beach, breathing, slowly and consciously the cool night air that smelled of the ocean.

It was over, she reminded herself. But still it was difficult to feel safe in the cave after being attacked right in her home, by creatures just like the one that she had come to trust an rely on.

It was difficult to keep her mind at ease when she could sense all the pain and anxiety around her. All her teammates seemed to feel this helpless anger that knew no real direction, so it was targeted at everyone and everything. Kaldur, for keeping secrets, the League for not including them in the mission to find Red Tornado. Captain Marvel because he was new and he didn't seem to trust them. Themselves for having been caught off guard.

She had even been angry at Superboy, although she could feel his fear as burning as the fire that had nearly killed her. But his fear had reminded her of her own. His need to protect her had made her feel helpless again. She needed to fight her own battles. They were teammates as well as lovers. He had to trust her to be strong enough to fend for herself. _She_ had to trust herself she could do it. Find her strength and positivity again, the trust in herself and the others so that this one defeat would not define her.

* * *

A low growl greeted her, when she went back inside, but Wolf was just sleeping in their living area. She couldn't help but smile when she looked at the big and scary looking creature that Conner had brought with him from their last mission. Wolf was supposed to be their enemy, he had been created in this form to be a weapon, under mind control, and had attacked the heroes when they first met. But with live stories so similar the creature and the clone had found trust in each other and so he had become a new member of their peculiar family.

Wolf's presence calmed her, not because there was really big canine keeping watch in their home - he had not even flinched when she made her way to the cave - but because he showed that even after all that had happened trust and compassion were still more important and stronger than fear and anger.

"M'gann?" Conner's voice was so quiet that it felt as if he had only spoken in her mind "are you alright?"

There was still this slight hint of concern in the voice of her boyfriend that had set her on edge for the whole day. But she felt it less acute now. They were alone now, and he had been as afraid as she was. She had needed some space, some reassurance. But now they both needed something else.

"I couldn't sleep" She admitted with a sigh.

"Yeah, me neither." He shrugged and looked around the room "wanna watch TV?"

Now she smiled, and nodded.

She grabbed the remote with her mind while she slumped next to him on the sofa and he put one of his arms around her shoulders to pull her a little closer. They awoke the next morning cuddled together with some children's cartoons still playing on the screen. And Wolf begging them to go outside and play.


End file.
